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History – Lower-Intermediate Level
Rosa Parks
In the 1950s, some of the states in the American south practiced what is called “segregation”. This
means that black people and white people were often kept separate. For example, there were areas in
restaurants where only white people were permitted to sit. Black and white children also went to
separate schools. Many people believed this system was racist and wrong. They formed a group and
fought against it. This was called The Civil Rights Movement. An African-American woman named
Rosa Parks was part of this movement.
On December 1st, 1955, Rosa Parks boarded a bus in Montgomery, Alabama. Like all other
Montgomery busses, there were seats for white people at the front. Black people were supposed to sit
at the back of the bus. When the seats reserved for white people became full, the bus driver told Ms.
Parks to give up her seat near the front of the bus so that white people could sit down. She thought
this was wrong so she refused to move so the bus driver called the police.
Black people throughout Montgomery heard about Ms. Parks’ arrest. They supported Ms. Parks by
boycotting the Montgomery bus company. For many months, the busses in Montgomery were empty.
In 1956, the courts decided that segregating busses was against the law. Finally, black people could sit
anywhere they wanted on a Montgomery bus. Rosa Parks’ courage was important because it inspired
many people to fight against segregation. She will always be remembered as an important part of the
Civil Rights Movement.
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Dreamreader.net
History – Lower-Intermediate Level
1. According to the article, where was segregation practiced in the 1950s?
a) all over North America
b) in South American countries
c) in some states in the American south
d) in all the states of the United States
2. The word “permitted” in paragraph 1 could best be replaced with:
a)
b)
c)
d)
comfortable
happy
told
allowed
3. According to the article, why did Rosa Parks refuse to move to a new seat on the bus?
a)
b)
c)
d)
because she was tired
because she didn’t like segregation
because there were no other seats
because the driver was very rude
4. The word “reserved” in paragraph 2 could best be replaced with:
a)
b)
c)
d)
stopped
saved
bought
tried
5. According to the article, why is Rosa Parks’ story important?
a)
b)
c)
d)
because she inspired people
because she followed the rules
because she rode the bus
because it started a movement
6. The phrase “against the law” in paragraph 3 could best be replaced with:
a)
b)
c)
d)
traditional
useful
illegal
original
Answers: 1. (c) 2. (d) 3. (b) 4. (b) 5. (a) 6. (c)
This text is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License. You may copy and print this
material for personal or classroom use. It may not be sold or adapted for commercial purposes.